Membrane-initiated actions of sex steroids and reproductive behavior: A historical account

It was assumed for a long time that sex steroids are activating reproductive behaviors by the same mechanisms that produce their morphological and physiological effects in the periphery. However during the last few decades an increasing number of examples were identified where behavioral effects of steroids were just too fast to be mediated via changes in DNA transcription. This progressively forced behavioral neuroendocrinologists to recognize that part of the effects of steroids on behavior are mediated by membrane-initiated events. In this review we present a selection of these early data that changed the conceptual landscape and we provide a summary the different types of membrane-associated receptors (estrogens, androgens and progestagens receptors) that are playing the most important role in the control of reproductive behaviors. Then we finally describe in more detail three separate behavioral systems in which membrane-initiated events have clearly been established to contribute to behavior control.

Automated summary

For a long time, it was believed that sex steroids activate reproductive behaviors through changes in DNA transcription, but in recent decades it has been discovered that the behavioral effects of steroids are too rapid to be mediated through this pathway, but rather through membrane-initiated events. This has led to a shift in understanding of how steroids influence behavior. The review summarizes the important role of membrane-associated receptors such as estrogen, androgen, and progestagen receptors in controlling reproductive behaviors, as well as specific behavioral systems where membrane-initiated events have been established to contribute to behavior control.